H. B. 4273


(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegate Staton)

[Introduced January 28, 2002 ; referred to the

Committee on the Judiciary.]





A BILL to amend and reenact section two hundred four, article twenty-seven, chapter forty-eight of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to domestic violence; and adding "father-in-law" and "mother-in-law" to the definition of family or household members.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section two hundred four, article twenty-seven, chapter forty-eight of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 27. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
PART 2. DEFINITIONS.

§48-27-204. Family or household members defined.
"Family or household members" means persons who:
(1) Are or were married to each other;
(2) Are or were living together as spouses;
(3) Are or were sexual or intimate partners;
(4) Are or were dating: Provided, That a casual acquaintance or ordinary fraternization between persons in a business or social context does not establish a dating relationship;
(5) Are or were residing together in the same household;
(6) Have a child in common regardless of whether they have ever married or lived together;
(7) Have the following relationships to another person:
(A) Parent;
(B) Stepparent;
(C) Brother or sister;
(D) Half-brother or half-sister;
(E) Stepbrother or stepsister;
(F) Father-in-law or mother-in-law;
(F) (G) Stepfather-in-law or stepmother-in-law;
(G) (H) Child or stepchild;
(H) (I) Daughter-in-law or son-in-law;
(I) (J) Stepdaughter-in-law or stepson-in-law;
(J) (K) Grandparent;
(K) (L) Step grandparent;
(L) (M) Aunt, aunt-in-law or step aunt;
(M) (N) Uncle, uncle-in-law or step uncle;
(N) (O) Niece or nephew;
(O) (P) First or second cousin; or
(8) Persons who Have the relationships set forth in subparagraphs paragraphs (A) through (O) (P), subdivision (7) of this section to a family or household member, as defined in subdivisions (1) through (6) of this section.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.